Cell Division

Background information document:

Investigation 1: Models
Part 1: Modeling Mitosis

Hypothesis If a model of mitosis is built out of oreo cookies, then the different phases that
happen will be shown.

Procedures - what did you do? Describe them step by step.

1. Find an image that clearly displays the different processes of mitosis.
2. Grab an oreo cookie and split it in half. Make sure that the frosting is found on only one side.
3. Discard, or eat, the plain cookie and use the cookie with the filling for the cell.
4. Using some colorful sprinkles, start arranging them on the cookie so that they model the first
phase of mitosis, interphase. Remember that the color of the sprinkle will represent the
chromosomes, nucleus, spindle fibers, etc.
5. Take a picture of the model and label what every piece on the cookie represents. For example,
red sprinkles represent the spindle fibers.
6. Place the model aside and grab another oreo cookie.
7. Follow steps 2 to 6 again but instead of making a model of interphase, make a model of
prophase.
8. Continue repeating steps 2 to 6 until all the phases (interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase,
telophase, and cytokinesis) are complete.
PIctures of your model and Key for your model. What does each piece oreo cookie, cream,
sprinkles, etc. represent. Make sure you have a title and insert here.
 Justification: How do the chromosomes move in each phase? Why is each step important to the
overall goal of cell division? Why is each step important to the overall goal of mitosis?
During interphase, the cell begins to grow and the chromosomes are synthesized, or
copied, in order to prepare for the division. During prophase, the chromosomes become
thicker and shorter, the nuclear envelope starts disappearing and the spindle fibers start
forming. During metaphase, the chromosomes line up at the center and are attached to
the spindle fibers. During anaphase, the chromosomes are separated and they go towards
opposite directions. During telophase, the spindle fibers disappear and the chromosomes
begin to unwind. The final phase, cytokinesis, is where a new cell membrane is formed
and the cell divides into two. Each step is important because it makes the process of
dividing smoother.
Analysis Questions: Tutorial and a Game to help you answer the analysis questions and
understand everything you need to know for the AP exam
1. Identify 1 step in your model where a mistake could occur. Describe the consequences
of that mistake on the cell and on the organism.
a. A mistake could have occurred in my model if I were to switch the different
phases of mitosis. I could have mistaken the different colored sprinkles and
placed them in the wrong spot. I could have also forgotten an important part of
the cell. This would result in an incorrect copy of DNA in organism and can cause
many problems such as diseases and cancer.
2. Describe the limitations of your model versus observing this in the real world.
a. Since the model is still, the result, or end, of each phase is the only thing being
displayed. If mitosis were to be observed in the real world, the cells movements
and how the cell divides would be shown.
3. What role does CDK and cyclins in the process of cell division? Why are they important?
a. CDK and cyclins help coordinate and control the process of cell division. They
help the division run smoothly by checking the cell and repairing anything that
requires fixing. They are important because without them, cell division could not
run smoothly and tumors arise.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are different phases in mitosis that help the cells divide. These
include interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase, and cytokinesis. During
each phase, the chromosomes prepare to divide by doing different things. The model I
created shows the result of each phase, which helps prove my hypothesis correct. An
error could have been made if the information I gathered was incorrect.

Part 2: Meiosis

Hypothesis if a model of meiosis is built out of oreo cookies, then the different stages of meiosis
will displayed.

Procedures - what did you do? Describe them step by step.

1. Find an image that clearly displays the different processes of meiosis.
2. Grab an oreo cookie and split it in half. Make sure that the frosting is found on only one side.
3. Discard, or eat, the plain cookie and use the cookie with the filling for the cell.
4. Using some colorful sprinkles, start arranging them on the cookie so they model the first phase of
meiosis, prophase I. Remember that the color of the sprinkle will represent the chromosomes,
nucleus, spindle fibers, etc.
5. T ake a picture of the model and label what every piece on the cookie represents. For example,
yellow sprinkles represent the spindle fibers.
6. Place the model aside and grab another oreo cookie.
7. Follow steps 2 to 6 again but instead of making a model of prophase I, make a model of
metaphase I.
8. Continue repeating steps 2 to 6 until all the phases (prophase I, metaphase I, anaphase I,
telophase I & cytokinesis, prophase Ii, metaphase II, Anaphase II, and telophase II & cytokinesis)
are complete.

PIctures of your model and Key for your model. What does each piece oreo cookie, cream,
sprinkles, etc. represent. Make sure you have a title and insert here. (Next page)
 Justification: How do the chromosomes move in each phase? Why is each step important to the
overall goal of cell division? Why is each step important to the overall goal of meiosis?
 During prophase I, the chromosomes condense, the nuclear envelope disintegrates, and
crossing over occurs. During metaphase I, the chromosomes line up at the center of the
cell. During anaphase I, the chromosomes are moved towards opposite sides by the
spindle fibers. During telophase I and cytokinesis, the chromosomes reach opposite sides
and the cytoplasm is divided, creating two cells. During prophase II, the spindle fibers
form. During metaphase II, the chromosomes, line up at the center and are separated
towards opposite sides during anaphase II. During the last phase, telophase I and
cytokinesis, four daughter cells are created.

Analysis Questions:
1. Identify 1 step in your model where a mistake could occur. Describe the consequences
of that mistake on the organism's possible progeny.
a. A mistake that could have occurred in the model was that the phases of meiosis
could have been mixed up or I could have misplaced a sprinkle, resulting in an
incorrect model. If this were to occur in an organism, then the number of
chromosomes could be affected. If there were to be too much or too little
chromosomes, then the organisms would develop genetic disorders.

2. Compare and Contrast the process of mitosis and meiosis.

a. As shown in the models, there are more phases in meiosis than there is in
mitosis. While mitosis produces two cells, meiosis produces four. Even though the
phases in each have similar names, such as prophase and anaphase, there are
different things that occur in these phases such as crossing over in meiosis.

Conclusion
In conclusion, mitosis and meiosis have similar phases; however, meiosis has more phases
and creates more cells. The phases in meiosis include prophase I, metaphase I, anaphase I,
telophase I & cytokinesis, prophase II, metaphase II, anaphase II, and telophase II &
cytokinesis. It is important for there to be phases when cells are dividing because it
makes it easier for cell division to occur because it separates what needs to be done.
Errors may be found in my explanations of the different phases or in the oreo model I
created.

Investigation 2: Studying the Effects of Environment on Mitosis

Part 3: T
ime Spent in the Phases of Mitosis (this link is in case the other stuff doesnt work)
Hypothesis: If a cell goes through mitosis, then it will spend the most time in interphase.
Procedures:
1. Identify the phase the cell is in.
2. Keep track of the cells in each phase using the data table below.
3. Give Data table a name.
4. Complete analysis and conclusion.
Data table: Time Spent to Complete Mitosis
Phase Number of Cells % total of cells time in each stage
counted`

Interphase 20 55% 792 min

Prophase 10 27% 388.8 min

Metaphase 3 8% 115.2 min

Anaphase 2 5% 72 min

Telophase 1 2% 28.8 min

Analysis:
1. To calculate the amount of time spent in each phase of the cell cycle from the percentage of
cells in that stage. On the average, it take 1,440 minutes (24 hours) for onion root tip cells to
complete the cell cycle.
% of cells in stage x 1440 minutes = # minutes of cell cycle spent in stage. ( Answers are shown in the
table above.)
Conclusion
In conclusion, the time spent on the phases of mitosis decreases as each phase is
completed. This proves my hypothesis, if a cell goes through mitosis, then it will spend
the most time in interphase was correct. Since there are more cells in interphase, it
would take longer for them to go through the process. After each phase is completed,
there seems to be less cells which lowers the time spent in the phases that follow
interphase. An error that could have occurred would be if I counted the number of cells
incorrectly or if I did the calculations wrong.

Investigation 3: Loss of Cell Cycle Control in Cancer

Part 4: Karyotypes
Based on your knowledge about human chromosomal disorders and nondisjunction due to loss of control
during the cell cycle, identify the name of the syndromes and karyotypes of the following patients.
Complete the data table:

Patient Number of Extra, Missing, or Name of Effects on the

chromosomes Normal Syndrome patient.

1 47 Extra Down Syndrome This causes

(chromosome 21) learning
disabilities, speech
delay, and
physical
abnormalities such
as short stature.

2 47 Extra Edwards This could cause

(chromosome 18) Syndrome defects in organs
 and abnormally
shaped heads in
babies.

3. 47 Extra Patau Syndrome This can cause

(chromosome 13) intellectual
disabilities and
physical defects.
Conclusion
In conclusion, humans normally have 46 chromosomes in their bodies. When a human
offspring is born with more or less chromosomes, it could result in a genetic disease, such
as the ones in the table above. Since there are 23 pairs of chromosomes in the human
body, the syndrome an offspring may have can be identified by looking at number of
chromosomes in each pair. For example, patient three had an extra chromosome in pair
13. This resulted in Patau Syndrome. An error that could have occurred could have been
that the the syndromes I chose were wrong or that the effects were incorrect.
Investigation 5: Meiosis and Crossing Over in Sordaria
Part 5: Meiosis and Crossing Over in Sordaria
Study the pictures of Sordia in the picture below by counting at least 50 asci and scoring them as either
parental or recombinant.
If the ascospores are arranged 4 dark/4 light, count the ascus as No crossing over.
If the arrangement of ascospores is in any other combination, count it as Crossing over.
Record your results in the data table provided.

Analysis Questions:
1. Once you have determined if crossing over has occurred in at least 50 hybrid asci, record your
data in the table below.
 2. Based on your counts, determine the percentage of asci showing crossover. Record in the table
below.
3. Divide the percent showing crossover by 2. This is your gene to centromere distance. (The
percentage of crossover asci is divided by 2 because only half of the spores in each ascus are the
result of a crossover event.)

Number of Asci Number of Asci Total % Asci Showing Gene to

not showing showing Crossover Centromere
Crossover Crossover Distance (map
units)

30 20 50 40% 0.2 map units

Conclusion
In conclusion, after counting 50 asci, it was discovered that there were more asci that did
not show crossing over than the amount of asci that did cross over. Out of 50 asci, only
20 showed crossing over. That is 40% of the randomly chosen asci. An error could have
been that I counted the asci incorrectly or that I made mistakes while calculating the
distance.